Method and apparatus for reducing down time of a lithography system

Abstract

An apparatus includes a radiation source that emits a radiation beam that causes substantially all of a quantity of material to evaporate; and structure having first and second surface portions, a first operational mode wherein a greater quantity of a byproduct of the evaporation impinges on the first surface portion, and a second operational mode wherein a greater quantity of the byproduct impinges on the second surface portion. A different aspect involves emitting a radiation beam toward a quantity of material, the radiation beam causing substantially all of the quantity of material to evaporate; operating a structure having first and second surface portions in a first operational mode wherein a greater quantity of a byproduct of the evaporation impinges on the first surface portion; and thereafter operating the structure in a second operational mode wherein a greater quantity of the byproduct impinges on the second surface portion.

1. An apparatus, comprising:
 a material source configured to provide a quantity of a material; 
 a radiation source configured to emit a radiation beam along an axis that strikes the quantity of material, causing substantially all of the quantity of material to evaporate; and 
 a structure having first and second surface portions and configured to rotate the first and second surface portions about the axis, the structure having first and second operational modes, wherein in the first operational mode the structure rotates the first and second surface portions about the axis such that the first surface portion is positioned on a first side of the radiation beam and receives a greater quantity of a byproduct of the evaporation impinges than the second surface portion positioned on a second side of the radiation beam, and in the second operational mode the structure rotates the first and second surface portions about the axis such that the second surface portion is positioned on the first side of the radiation beam and receives a greater quantity of the byproduct impinges than the first surface portion positioned on the second side of the radiation beam. 
 
     
     
       2. An apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the radiation beam strikes the quantity of material at an impact location; 
 wherein the radiation beam travels along a path that extends to the impact location; and 
 wherein the structure supports the first and second surface portions for movement relative to the impact location. 
 
     
     
       3. An apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein each of the first and second surface portions are reflective; 
 wherein upon striking the quantity of material, a portion of the radiation beam transforms into a radiation portion; 
 wherein in the first operational mode, the radiation portion radiates toward the first surface portion, and the first surface portion reflects the radiation portion; and 
 wherein in the second operational mode, the radiation portion radiates toward the second surface portion, and the second surface portion reflects the radiation portion. 
 
     
     
       4. An apparatus according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the first surface portion is shaped so that in the first operational mode, the first surface portion focuses the reflection of the radiation portion toward a focal point; and 
 wherein the second surface portion is shaped so that in the second operational mode, the second surface portion focuses the reflection of the radiation portion toward the focal point. 
 
     
     
       5. An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein in the radiation beam has a first wavelength, and the radiation portion has a second wavelength that is different from the first wavelength. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the first and second surface portions are spaced from the path. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the structure further has a continuous surface that includes the first and second surface portions. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the continuous surface includes an aperture; and 
 wherein the path passes through the aperture of the continuous surface. 
 
     
     
       9. An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the structure supporting the first and second portions for movement is configured to rotate the continuous surface about the axis that is coincident with the path, the rotation being the movement relative to the impact location. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the structure further has separate first and second surfaces that respectively include the first and second surface portions. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein each of the first and second surfaces includes an aperture; 
 wherein in the first operational mode, the path passes through the aperture of the first surface, and the second surface is spaced from the path; and 
 wherein in the second operational mode, the path passes through the aperture of the second surface, and the first surface is spaced from the path. 
 
     
     
       12. An apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the structure supporting the first and second portions for movement is configured to rotate the first and second surface portions about an axis that is transverse to the path, the rotation being the movement relative to the impact location. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus includes an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system having an EUV laser that includes the material source, the radiation source, and the structure. 
     
     
       14. A method, comprising:
 emitting a radiation beam along an axis toward a quantity of material; 
 striking the quantity of material with the radiation beam, causing substantially all of the quantity of material to evaporate; 
 operating a structure having first and second surface portions in a first operational mode, wherein the first operational mode includes rotating the first and second surface portions about the axis such that the first surface portion is positioned on a first side of the radiation beam and receives a greater quantity of a byproduct of the evaporation impinges than the second surface portion positioned on a second side of the radiation beam; and 
 thereafter operating the structure in a second operational mode, wherein the second operational mode includes rotating the first and second surface portions about the axis such that the second surface portion is positioned on the first side of the radiation beam and receives a greater quantity of the byproduct impinges than the first surface portion positioned on the second side of the radiation beam. 
 
     
     
       15. A method according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the emitting is carried out in a manner that directs the radiation beam along a path that extends to an impact location; 
 wherein the striking is carried out in a manner that causes the striking of the quantity of material with the radiation beam at the impact location; and 
 further including transitioning between the first and second operational modes, the transitioning including moving the first and second surface portions relative to the impact location. 
 
     
     
       16. A method according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein each of the first and second surface portions are reflective; 
 wherein the striking is carried out in a manner that includes transforming the radiation beam into a radiation portion; 
 further including reflecting the radiation portion using the first surface portion in the first operational mode; and 
 reflecting the radiation portion using the second surface portion in the second operational mode. 
 
     
     
       17. A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the reflecting includes:
 focusing the travel of the radiation portion toward a focal point using the first surface portion in the first operational mode; and 
 focusing the travel of the radiation portion toward the focal point using the second surface portion in the second operational mode. 
 
     
     
       18. A method according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the emitting is carried out in a manner such that the beam has a first wavelength; and 
 wherein the transforming is carried out in a manner such that the radiation portion has a second wavelength that is different from the first wavelength. 
 
     
     
       19. A method according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein the structure further has a continuous surface that includes the first and second surface portions; and 
 wherein the moving includes rotating the continuous surface about the axis that is coincident with the path. 
 
     
     
       20. A method according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein the structure further has separate first and second surfaces that respectively include the first and second surface portions; and 
 wherein the moving is carried out in a manner that includes rotating the first and second surface portions about an axis that is transverse to the path.